Saint Teresa of Avila lived in an age of exploration as well as political, social, and religious upheaval.

It was the 16th century, a time of turmoil and reform. She was born before the Protestant Reformation and died almost 20 years after the closing of the Council of Trent.

The gift of God to Teresa in and through which she became holy and left her mark on the Church and the world is threefold: She was a woman; she was a contemplative; she was an active reformer.

As a woman, Teresa stood on her own feet, even in the man’s world of her time. She was “her own woman,” entering the Carmelites despite strong opposition from her father. Beautiful, talented, outgoing, adaptable, affectionate, courageous, enthusiastic, she was totally human.

Teresa was a woman “for God,” a woman of prayer, discipline, and compassion. Her heart belonged to God. Her ongoing conversion was an arduous lifelong struggle, involving ongoing purification and suffering. Even when she was misunderstood, misjudged, and opposed; she struggled on, courageous and faithful.

In the midst of all this she clung to God in life and in prayer. Her writings on prayer and contemplation are drawn from her experience: powerful, practical, and graceful. She was a woman of prayer; a woman for God.

Teresa was a woman “for others.” Though a contemplative, she spent much of her time and energy seeking to reform herself and the Carmelites, to lead them back to the full observance of the primitive Rule.

She has to her credit over a half-dozen new monasteries. At the age of 43, she became determined to found a new convent. At 51, she felt it was time to spread her reform movement.

She braved burning sun, ice and snow, thieves, and rat-infested inns to found more convents.
She traveled, wrote, fought—always to renew, to reform. In herself, in her prayer, in her life, in her efforts to reform, in all the people she touched, she was a woman for others, a woman who inspired and gave life.

In the autumn of 1582, Teresa, although ill, set out for Alva de Tormez, where an old friend was expecting a visit from her. Teresa grew worse on the road, when they arrived at the convent, Teresa went to bed in a state of exhaustion. She never recovered, and three days later, she remarked to Anne, "At last, my daughter, I have reached the house of death," a reference to her book, The Seven Mansions.

Extreme Unction was administered to her, she sat up as she received the Sacrament, exclaiming, "O my Lord, now is the time that we shall see each other! " and died in Anne's arms.

Her writings, especially the Way of Perfection and The Interior Castle, have helped generations of believers.

In 1970, Saint Paul VI named her the first female doctor of the Church.

St. Teresa is the patron saint of Headache sufferers. Her symbol is a heart, an arrow, and a book. She was canonized in 1622, the Church just celebrated the 400th anniversary of her canonisation.

Other Saints of the Day
1. Saint Magdalena of Nagasaki
2. Saint Barsen of Edessa
3. Saint Thecla of Kitzingen
4. Saint Aurelia of Strasbourg
5. Saint Euthymius the Younger